The Sacrament of Confirmation
8th Grade School Candidates
8th Grade Parishioners
Non School Candidates
10th Grade Candidates
"You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses..."
-Acts 1:8
~WELCOME TO THE CONFIRMATION 2011-2012 WEBPAGE~
As many of you know we are still in the process of transitioning the Sacrament of Confirmation from 10th grade to 8th grade. This will be the last year we have 10th grade and 8th grade candidates. Please make sure when reading through all of the information, you are reading what pertains to your candidate. Some information will overlap, but it will be easiest to keep up if focused on the details to that are specific to your candidate only.
This page will be your resource throughout the year for current and important information pertaining to the sacrament.
MAJOR CHANGES FOR CONFIRMATION PREP:
- The first major change for Confirmation Prep 2011-2012 is a deadline regarding paperwork needed for the sacrament. In the past, there have been suggested dates as to when paperwork for the sacrament should be turned in. However, those dates would lapse and we would still be in need of paperwork the night before the ceremony, making it very difficult to find time to prepare the ceremony details while hunting down paperwork. Therefore, the office of Youth Ministry has decided to set a firm date of Thursday, September 15, 2011 for all forms to be turned in. If all forms are not turned in at this time, your candidate will not able to go through preparation for Confirmation this year.
- The second change you will notice for the preparation process this year is that we are offering a "Parent Call Out Meeting" on September 11, 2011 at 12:15pm in the Parish Life Center. This meeting will be informative, as to what can be expected this year from the preparation process, as well as, an opportunity for parents to ask questions, turn in forms, and see how they can help throughout the year.
- The third major change for this year is that we will need a copy of your Baptismal Certificates even if you were Baptized at St. Simon. We are in the process of updating our Parish Data System and we need to make sure all of the information is current.
- The final major change that will be noticeable this year, is the time change for the sessions affecting 10th grade and 8th grade candidates who do not attend St. Simon school. The sessions have changed from Sunday nights to Sunday mornings after the 9:15 Mass from 10:30 to 11:45. The reason being is, we have seen a decrease in the teen attendance at Mass. We are hoping that teens will come to Mass at 8 or 9:15 and then to their Confirmation session. We are also hoping that teens will feel like they are making the easy choice to come to confirmation sessions over Colts games, club sports, and other events happening on Sunday's since they have been moved to the morning instead of keeping them in the middle of what seems to be a lot of Sunday afternoon activities.
MAJOR DETAILS FOR ALL CANDIDATES:
- Throughout the year, candidates are only allowed to miss 3 sessions. If more than 3 sessions are missed, they will not be able to finish preparation for the sacrament.
- It is mandatory for every candidate to do service. Service requirements will differ depending on your meeting time. If you are doing service out side of your meeting time, it cannot be for a parent. There must also be a written paragraph turned in with the signature of the facilitator.
- A retreat is also mandatory for every candidate. There will be a retreat provided by the Confirmation Team however, if you are unable to attend you must find another retreat to attend. A letter stating that you were at the retreat and signed by the facilitator must be turned in.
- Each candidate must have a sponsor. The sponsor must be chosen by the candidate, at least 18 years of age, has been confirmed, and is an active member at their parish. A PARENT CANNOT SPONSOR THEIR OWN CHILD. When choosing a sponsor, please keep in mind that there will be sessions, a rehearsal, and a ceremony, that sponsors must attend. Therefore, it may be in your best interest to find a sponsor that is fairly local. Every sponsor must obtain a letter from their parish stating they are an active member of the parish they belong to. Each parish will have a generated letter that will just need to be filled in upon request. Please make sure this letter is turned in on Sept. 15, 2011 with the rest of the paperwork.
- Each candidate must choose a confirmation name. The confirmation name must be chosen by the candidate and must be a saint's name. A good way for a candidate to choose their name is to think realistically regarding what they are passionate about. For example, if a candidate has a real call to service, they should choose a saint who served the poor or did a lot for Christ and others. If a candidate is very interested in animals, they should choose a saint who shared the same love for animals. If a candidate is very into sports, they should choose a saint who may be the partron saint of athletes.
- We understand that some families will have an 8th grade candidate and a 10th grade candidate. In that instance we do not expect you to go to two ceremonies, you will just need to let Francesca know which ceremony your family will be attending.
PLEASE REVIEW THE INFORMATION BELOW TO SEE WHICH DETAILS PERTAIN TO YOUR CANDIDATE:
10TH GRADE CANDIDATES:
There is a link to your calendar on the toolbar located on the left hand side of this page. Your sessions will be held once a month on Sunday mornings after 9:15 Mass from 10:30 to 11:45. There will be a session set aside to do service, so you should not have to get service hours else where. There is a Saturday date on the calendar for your retreat. Your high schools have been informed of the date of your retreat, Saturday, March 17, 2011 from 11:30am to 6:30pm and they will be excusing you from your sports, clubs, and other commitments so you are able to attend. Remember: service and a retreat are mandatory. Finally, there is a $50.00 fee associated with Confirmation Prep.
What's due by Sept 15th:
-Registration Form
-50.00 Fee
-Confirmation Name
-Sponsor
8TH GRADE CANDIDATES WHO ARE PARISHIONERS AT ST. SIMON BUT DO NOT ATTEND THE SCHOOL:
There is a link to your calendar on the toolbar located on the left hand side of this page. Your sessions will be held once a month on Sunday mornings after 9:15 Mass from 10:30 to 11:45. There will be a session set aside to do service, so you should not have to get service hours else where. There is a Saturday date on the calendar for your retreat, but because you will be attending sessions with the 10th grade candidates most of the time, we would like to inform you of and invite you to the 8th grade retreat for the St. Simon school candidates, happening at St. Simon on Friday, March 16, 2011 from 9am to 3pm in order for you to spend time getting to know the other 8th graders at your parish. The Youth Minister, Francesca Marino understands that you will need to miss school to attend, she is happy to talk to any school administrator or write any letter in order to excuse you from school. Remember: service and a retreat are mandatory.
What's due by Sept. 15th:
-Registration Form
- Confirmation Name
- Sponsor
8TH GRADE CANDIDATES WHO ATTEND ST. SIMON SCHOOL:
There is a link to your calendar on the toolbar located on the left hand side of this page. Your sessions will be done in the classroom during your Religion class, a few times a month. The service hour requirements you have for your religion class will count towards your hours for Confirmation. You will be asked to keep a journal as you talk to your sponsor. Questions will be given out to each candidate throughout the year to discuss with their sponsor. Two retreats are on the schedule for the 8th grade students, one is their leadership retreat and the other will be their retreat for Confirmation on Friday, March 16, 2011 from 9am-3pm. Both will take place during the school day, the retreat for Confirmation is mandatory meaning, you must attend in order to be Confirmed. Remember: service and a retreat are mandatory. Each candidate in the 8th grade class attending St. Simon will need to have a separate notebook, a journal, as a way to communicate with their sponsor.
What's due by Sept. 15th:
-Registration Form
- Confirmation Name
- Sponsor
Final reminder to make sure all of your paperwork is turned in by September 15, 2011 in order to be confirmed in the 2011-2012 school year.
If you have any questions please contact:
Mike Braun
Pastoral Associate for Family Life
26-6000 x152
mbraun@saintsimon.org
